I planted a Psidium cattleyanum when I was 14, many years ago. It grew to nearly 2 stories tall and this year the crop was heavy enough first to bend it and then to break it. Instead of breaking off entirely, a large branch or two split down the middle.

While it's not our favorite tree (it was mislabeled as a regular strawberry guava and is a yellow variety instead, for one), it provides some needed shade to the house. Starting with another fruit tree would likely take years to catch up. Its root system is already established and that's another plus given how different the climate is now from the one of the '70s.

My worry is how to find someone who knows what they're doing to prune it back appropriately. If we just saw it below the tear, I'm afraid the new growth might be very superficially coming from the surface and will be easy to tear out again. Should I be bark grafting? Or is it a loss?

We're located in the Pasadena area. Anyone know anyone out this way who knows their Psidium tree physiology? Photos of the bend/tear on my Twitter:

Wellim not sure if the suggestion will still be viable,but, i was going to say...

you could try to cut it at 6ft or so.if the split is down the main trunk, you could try to "graft" it back together.press both sides together and secure with duck tape or whatever.

or, you can just use some wire to tie them togetheryou could even leaves a couple of feet between to 2 halves.they should heal up and create 2 main trunks, but its certianly possibleone side might die off.

These plants are very tough.if you cut it off at 1ft above groundi would put money on the fact that it would grow back vigorously.with the size of the tree, you could graft a few different kinds.There are a couple of people at "tropicalfruitforum" that have improved varietiesand very close relatives, with larger and tastier fruit.

another point... i have both red and yellow.i like the yellow better, as do most ive talked to.have you given it any iron or magnesium ?

i put 1Tblspoon of epsomand a dose of chelated iron on mine ....(once in spring, once in mid summer - also some rich compost)the leaves turned beautiful green, and the fruit got a lot sweeter.fish emulsion is great too, as it feeds the soil and has micro-nutes.